A unique sovereign coin – the first of its kind to feature a new portrait of King Charles III – has been issued as part of a collection paying tribute to Britain’s greatest ever monarchs.
The one-eighth sovereign, released by Hattons of London, is particularly special as it is a tribute to possibly our greatest ever monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. That she is our new King’s predecessor, and more importantly, his mother, makes this coin a poignant reminder of the fact that when a new monarch accedes it is most often because their parent has passed away.
The reverse side of this coin features pays tribute to the first monarch in our history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. Designed by Matt Dent, designer of Britain’s circulating one pence to fifty pence coins.
Minted in 22 carat gold, the one-eighth sovereign is part of a wider range issued by Hattons of London. Each coin in the 2023 King Charles III Greatest Monarchs Gold Sovereign Range features a new portrait of His Majesty by Jody Clark, as well as unique portraits of past monarchs including King George V, Queen Victoria and King George III.
“We are delighted to bring to market the first range of gold sovereigns ever to feature a portrait of His Majesty King Charles III,” Simon Mellinger, Managing Director of Hattons of London said.
“The one-eighth sovereign is of particular note, as it is the first ever to be issued under the reign of King Charles III.
“Honouring not only Britain’s modern Royal Family but the great monarchs who have come before, this range truly is a celebration of Britain’s illustrious royal history over a period of 1,000 years. The range offers a unique opportunity for coin collectors and royal enthusiasts alike, and is a collection that we would urge people to act quickly with to avoid disappointment.”
As well as a set of one-of-a-kind portraits, the coins will also pay tribute to some of the major regnal jubilees each monarch celebrated and milestone moments in each of their reigns. This includes the gold quarter sovereign (not available singly) – the first of its kind to feature King George V – celebrating his 1935 Silver Jubilee. The design also references King George’s first ever Christmas broadcast in 1932, a tradition that has been continued ever since.
The gold half sovereign features King George III and celebrates his Golden Jubilee in 1809. The jubilee was not celebrated with the issue of any coinage, making this the first gold sovereign to commemorate the event.
Queen Victoria is celebrated on the full sovereign, with her portrait accompanied by an intricate floral design inspired by the One Rupee Coin as a nod to Britain’s strong links to India. The coin also celebrates other milestones including the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and glyphs featuring the stars from the Penny Black – the world’s first adhesive postage stamp that was introduced during Queen Victoria’s remarkable reign.
When you combine the popularity of ‘dual portrait’ designs which, in this instance bring together Britain’s newest monarch King Charles III with some of our greatest, with the fact many are firsts, you can see why they will be subject to considerable demand, and not just from collectors.
All of the coins in the range, with the exception of the quarter and half sovereigns, are available individually or as sets with prices starting from £69. They are also subject to our sell out guarantee, which means availability of the one-eighth sovereign and the whole range will end on 32st May 2023.
To view the 2023 King Charles III Greatest Monarchs Gold Sovereign Range, or to find out more about Hattons of London, visit www.hattonsoflondon.co.uk
